Bishkek, October 18/ Kabar /. The Aga Khan School – the first private school in Osh - today celebrated its 10th Anniversary in the presence of Princess Zahra Aga Khan.

Established in 2002, the school is part of a network of over 250 schools managed by the Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) in East Africa, South Asia and Central Asia and provides close to 500 students with quality learning experiences in an environment which values diversity, and responds creatively to the educational needs of children.

The ceremony was also attended by Speaker of Osh City Kenesh, Vice Governor of Osh Oblast, Vice-Speaker Asiya Sasykbaeva, Vice Mayor of Osh City as well as 200 guests including senior government officials, heads of diplomatic missions, international organisations, parents, students and alumni.

“It is with great pride and admiration that we are here to celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of this young school,” said Princess Zahra speaking at the ceremony. She went on to speak about His Highness the Aga Khan’s ambitious goal for the Aga Khan School. ‘The ability to make judgments that are grounded in solid information, and employ careful analysis should be one of the most important goals for any educational endeavour. As students develop this capacity, they can begin to grapple with the most important and difficult step: to learn to place such judgments in an ethical framework. Therein lies the formation of the kind of social consciousness that our world so desperately needs.’

The celebrations at the Aga Khan School included student performances and a special awards ceremony recognising high performing staff, and outstanding students for their community service and academic excellence.

“Building on a century of leadership in educational development, the Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) established the Aga Khan School in Osh Kyrgyzstan in 2002 to offer an education for success in the modern world. Since the first graduating class in 2007, all 246 graduates have continued their education at local and international universities. This is a significant achievement,” said Nakat Abdulofizov, Head of Education, AKES, Kyrgyzstan.

For the past decade, the Aga Khan School has become an integral part of the Osh City community offering innovative education approaches to both students and teachers. The school encourages students to master multiple languages, promotes the use of communication and information technology, as well as nurtures the love of sciences by conducting annual science fairs. It challenges the students to be intellectually inquisitive and socially conscious, preparing them to become confident leaders so they may contribute their knowledge to the development of their country.

Each year the school presents several scholarships and needs-based discounts to students from different districts of Osh Oblast to pursue a high quality education.

"I love spending my free time in the Learning Resource Centre, one of the best parts of the school,” said Nurkyz Abdykerimova, a grade 11 student. “The school provides students with everything they need. My parents are very proud that I am a student here. They are always excited to tell people that their daughter attends the Aga Khan School. Before, my parents wanted me to stay here, but now they are eager for me to study abroad. Thanks to my scholarship, my parents will be able to support my pursuit of post-secondary education at an international university."

Following its mission of promoting quality education, the Aga Khan School has become the first school to be awarded a license from the Ministry of Education to offer certified professional development programmes to government school teachers impacting over 3,000 students. Developed in collaboration with the Osh Institute for Teachers Professional Development, these programmes highlight subjects such as the sciences, information technology, languages and critical thinking skills and have become models of best practice in Osh Oblast.

Bishkek, October 16 / Kabar /. Princess Zahra Aga Khan arrives in Bishkek later today for a two-day visit to the Kyrgyz Republic. This is her first visit to the Kyrgyz Republic. Princess Zahra is the eldest child and only daughter of His Highness the Aga Khan, the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Anna Vorobeva, Communications Officer of the Aga Khan Development Network Representation reports.

In Bishkek, Princess Zahra Aga Khan will meet leadership of the country to discuss current and future partnerships of the AKDN with the Kyrgyz Republic in education and health sectors. She will also visit public health and educational facilities for a better understanding of the country’s experience in social sector development sector.

On 18 October, Princess Zahra Aga Khan will participate in an official 10th Anniversary of the Aga Khan School, Osh. Established by the Aga Khan Education Services in 2002, the Aga Khan School has become an important part of the Osh City fabric creatively responding to the educational needs of children and preparing them to become competitive in the modern world.

In Osh, Princess Zahra will also visit an early childhood development center rehabilitated by the Aga Khan Foundation and its partners. She will also meet with the Governor of Osh Oblast and Mayor of Osh City.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan heads the AKDN’s Social Welfare Department with specific responsibility for health, education and built environment issues in the developing world. These include Aga Khan Education Services, an AKDN agency, which operates more than250 schools and advanced educational programmes in South and Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East since the 1950s.